


Without You

by gamelicker



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DC Cinematic Universe, DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Dead People, F/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 06:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11572272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gamelicker/pseuds/gamelicker
Summary: Prompt: “Do you have any idea how many people are dead because I wasn’t clever enough, wasn’t quick enough, wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t good enough?”





	Without You

You grasped at the other side of the bed, still half asleep. Normally a large, warm body slept next to you. When you slowly shivered awake in the middle of night, however, you expected to find that body and cuddle next to it, anticipating being back to sleep before you fully opened yours eyes. 

Your brows furrowed when your hand came up empty. You slowly sat up in bed, seeing that Jason was nowhere to be found in the small apartment bedroom the two of you shared. 

Tonight was an off night. He wasn’t scheduled to work with any of his brothers or Bruce. There was nothing that the Red Hood needed to immediately address tonight. So why wasn't he in bed with you?

Pulling on a pair of sweatpants, you decided to investigate. 

It didn’t take long. Quickly peeking past the kitchen and into the living room, you found Jason standing on the balcony, cigarette in hand and leaning over the railing. He was clearly troubled over something. He was dead asleep when you got into bed with him earlier. Nobody would wake up from that deep asleep just to watch cars drive through Gotham.

You picked up a blanket that was laying on the couch and made your way outside, tucking it over Jason’s broad shoulders. He gave you a small smile, though he didn’t take his eyes from the view as you came to stand next to him. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” You asked quietly.

Jason sighed, bringing the cigarette back to his mouth and inhaling once again. His hands were shaking, clearly struggling to keep it in between his fingers. He ran his fingers through his hair once before turning to you, still unable to look you in the eyes. 

“I had a nightmare.” He stated quietly. His face winced in pain, clearly recalling whatever it was the startled him awake. 

“In it I kept seeing faces. They kept crying out and screaming for help. But no matter how much I tried to reach them I couldn’t get there. I couldn’t do anything to help them.” 

Jason put the cigarette in the ashtray and turned to lean his back against the railing. He clutched the blanket you had thrown over his shoulders, almost like a child holding onto their baby blanket. 

“When I woke up I realized that those faces belonged to real people. People that I couldn’t save. Like that girl from downtown. The one I was telling you about last week. I was there too late to help.” 

You frowned as you recalled what Jason had told you. Some prisoners had escaped Arkham and with the help of the Joker, they kidnapped a young girl and thrown her off a building. Jason had heard her call for help but hadn’t managed to get there in time before the girl fell to her death. 

“Do you have any idea how many people are dead because I wasn’t clever enough, wasn’t quick enough, wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t good enough?”

You brought one hand up to Jason’s shoulder, rubbing circles over his clothed skin while the other cupped his scarred cheek. He breathing was heavy and his tears streaked down his face before falling onto the hard surface of the balcony. 

“Do you have any idea how many people are alive today because you were all of those things? How many people get to live their dreams and see their families because you intervened?”

Jason cracked a small smile at your words despite the tears still rolling freely down his face. 

“Without you they wouldn’t have even had the chance to survive. I know it it’ll always bother you that you can’t save everybody. But remember that the people you have saved wouldn’t be alive without your intervention.”

You gave him a small kiss on the lips before guiding him back to the bedroom you both shared. His breathing evened out a bit as you brought him to the bed, your hand rubbing circles into the small of his back. 

The both of you crawled underneath the heavy winter comforter, Jason throwing his arms around you and putting his head to your chest. The sound of your heartbeat comforted him, slowly lulling him to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this prompt:  
> https://oopsprompts.tumblr.com/post/163138079447/do-you-have-any-idea-how-many-people-are-dead


End file.
